The selection and supply of electric locomotives based on the life cycle contract requires a more thorough review of indicators of their effectiveness implemented in operation. This study examines the main operation indicators currently used: coefficients of operational availability, technical availability, intrinsic availability (instantaneous), availability of the locomotive fleet, performed ton-kilometer operation, and electric power consumption. However, these indicators are not comprehensive and do not provide an overall economic assessment of operation. For a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of operation of locomotives, an online calculation of the life cycle cost is proposed. This involves directly using operating and service data for its performance, and the calculation of an indicator — life cycle specific cost (LCSC). The online LCSC is a uniform criterion associated with the energy efficiency of the performed transportation, volume of the ton-kilometer operation, operation expenses, reliability of electric locomotive, and its equipment availability ratio (EAR). The LCSC analysis enables assessment of deviations of the operation effectiveness indicators from those planned, and determining a strategy for improvement of the electric locomotive. It helps to define peculiarities in the operation of an electric locomotive and to forecast its condition and potential properties. Additionally, the LCSC facilitates analyzing the condition of a group of electric locomotives when changing the operation technology (for example, operation starting with increased rolling stock weight), including assessment of the extent of economic benefits of fulfilled measures.

Currently, scientists of the JSC “VNIIZhT” and specialists of LLC “Ural Locomotives” are conducting tests on the electric locomotives 2EC6 on the Oktyabrskaya railroad using the “Online LCC” server. This allows online analysis of information collected on the operation and servicing of locomotives under the life cycle contract, pro viding effective and prompt control of the electric locomotive fleet.

Fitting platforms of variable freight storage lengths are used for transportation of rails and other cargo up to 25 m long. The use of innovative fixation for transportation on the fitting platforms contributes to enlargement of the range of cargo transported on such rolling stock and establishes conditions for safe transportation of such cargo.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the arrangement of long cargo transportation on the fitting platform, this study examines two 25 m long rail transportation options. The transportation option involving two coupled 14.62 m platforms, when the cargo is fixed on the coupled platforms with the standard method is the basic option. The new option involves transportation of the 25 m long rails using 80-feet fitting platforms 25.62 m long at the coupling axes and multiway fi xation sets. A calendar year is assumed as the estimate period. The transported volume is assumed equal for each option, under considering the operating conditions of the calculation unit — one coupling of universal platform (or one 80-feet fitting platform), reducing the financial results to a ton of transported cargo. The value of the annual economic effect for the freight owner (E_year^own) is determined as the change of the freight owner’s expenses due to usage of the new option relative to the basic transportation option.

The economic assessment of the transportation is performed considering the interests of each member of the transportation process and tested based on specific data. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of implementation of the technical and technological solution under consideration.

Rail weld joints from electric-contact welding in stationary and fi eld conditions, as well as those from aluminothermic welding are weak points on tracks that are easily damaged compared with rails outside the weld joints. Currently, these weak points are the defects connected with lack of penetration in the welding area, burns at the points of poor contact of the rail foot with the current-carrying contact tips, or with defects of the weld joint machining after welding, as well as the local hardness reduction in areas affected by heat after welding, and local heat treatment after welding. Elimination of wide areas of reduced hardness at the weld joint points producing saddles, cracks, and chipping, and promoting rails damage next to such joints is a major challenge for increasing the serviceability of weld joints. This study introduces three avenues for elimination of increased damage of rails at weld joints including:

• Improvement of technology and equipment for electriccontact welding and local heat treatment after welding in the stationary and fi eld conditions.

• Development of technology and equipment for induction welding in the stationary and fi eld conditions.

• Development of technology and equipment for differentiated induction tempering of rails preliminary welded in strings 800 m long.

Good technical condition of rolling stock is an important consideration for increasing safety in train traffi c. Safety is the state’s priority in the development and modernization of the railroad industry. The goal of this study is to develop an onboard monitoring device for a freight car’s shock-absorbing device’s technical condition. This justifi es the need to control the serviceability of the unit and the urgency to equip freight cars with onboard monitoring systems. The following tasks were set and resolved: collection and analysis of information on the dynamics of changes in the number of faults of freight cars serviced at the sites of the current uncoupling repair of Russian companies from 2008 to 2018; study the expediency of the primary control of serviceability of different units of the freight car; collection and analysis of information including statistical data, scientifi c publications, and thesis on the effect of a failed shock-absorbing device on other units of the freight car and reduction of the train’s overall traffi c safety. The study enabled development and manufacturing of a mockup onboard monitoring device freight car shock-absorbing device’s technical condition, with its functional capabilities described. To increase the diagnostics accuracy, technology defi ning failure criteria of the controlled unit and reduction of its operation effectiveness is developed. The main recommendations for using the proposed onboard device are also provided. The principal advantages of the device are underlined and reasons for freight rolling stock owners to equip their cars with the developed system are advanced.

The main parameter determined in heat engineering tests of heat insulated cars superstructures or the locomotive operator’s cabs is the heat transfer coeffi cient К. The study introduces automated analysis technology for the heat transfer coeffi cient К of enclosure structures of the heat insulated transport means using a remote server. The underlying method provides coeffi cient K of the heat insulated transport means without additional work and time loss for complicated calculations. Personnel of test laboratories involved in heat engineering tests of vehicles possess tools for remotely calculating К, from any point in the world with internet access. To obtain К three controlled parameters measured during the heat engineering tests for 5.5 h including: the difference of the inside and outside temperature of the test object superstructure, total power of the electric heaters and geometric area of the heat transfer surface are sent to the server, after which the user promptly receives the calculated К. The economic effect of introducing the proposed technology for vehicle manufacture is the absence of required tests conducted at the test center; for an operating company — a signifi cant reduction of the idle time of the vehicle at the test center directly affects the loss of profi t. The proposed technology expands the area of operation of the test centers, while calculated К values are offi cially input into the data sheet of the vehicle.

Adequate regulation of diesel engine fuel equipment is an important factor affecting the economic and ecological indicators of diesel engine and its reliability. The fuel injection advance angle deviates from the best value during operation for several reasons, requiring timely control and regulation of the parameter. This issue is crucial for diesel engines with individual high-pressure pumps like the diesel locomotive engines. This study presents a new method for indirect determination of the fuel injection advance angle based on analysis of the pressure fi rst-order derivative signal — pressure change rate. This method eliminates the need for additional measurements like the crankshaft rotation angle or piston position, and therefore, exhibits potential for the development of easy and reliable devices for online diagnostics. The study also briefl y analyzes control methods for the fuel injection advance angle used in operating diesel-electric locomotives in Russia. The results of theoretical research performed through mathematical modeling for the locomotive diesel engine 1А-5D49 is also examined. A dimensionless criterion is proposed based on results calculated from the experiment, which is determined by the value of the pressure change rate signal at representative points allowing calculation of the fuel injection advance angle using simple linear dependence. Verifi cation of the proposed method demonstrates good agreement of the results with existing methods.

Increasing axial loads including the development of heavy movement on Russian railroads network require the best solutions for improvement of the railway track structure. Research by Russian and international scientists indicates that rail elastic pads reduce vibrations transferred from reinforced concrete sleepers to crashed stone, including the joint area. This study examines possibilities of using rail pads for reducing the dynamic effects of the rolling stock on the track in the joint area. Assessment of the rail pads construction material shock-absorbing properties was conducted considering the elastic properties of the rail support with static and dynamic loads. Results of mode ling the elastic properties of the rail support with rail pads of different rigidities using the software complex “Universal mechanism” are presented. The results were used as basis for calculation of indicators of dynamic interaction of the track and rolling stock at the joint using the coeffi cient establishing the link between bendings of the solid rail and the rail with joint. The expediency of using rail pads at the place of the joint is justifi ed based on assessment of the results.

This study reveals that elastic rail pads based on isoprene rubbers are suitable for track structures that improve indicators of the track and rolling stock interaction. When using rubber pads, the growth of accelerations on the sleeper is less dependent on the speed, causing the track stability to increase. The results are supported by tests consistent with calculations and justify the necessity for further studies in this fi eld.

High quality and safe transportation of perishable food cargo (PFC) by railway transport is impossible without knowledge of the heat engineering parameters of the technical transport (TT) used for transportation. Due to constant increase of requirements for PFC quality safety during transportation, the task of regular inspection and survey of TT is imperative. During transportation of (PFC by technical transport (TT) in the “thermos” mode, their quality is maintained for a limited period, that directly depends on the value of the overall heat transfer coefficient (coefficient K) of the TT superstructure. Concurrently, the use of coefficient K calculated based on the average values measured during the heat engineering tests (electric power, air temperature, average area of the TT superstructure) without considering significant fluctuations like conducting the tests without putting the TT into the specialized isothermal enclosure, enhances the risk of deterioration of the transported cargo quality transported during such transport.

The proposed technique allows companies conducting heat engineering tests to calculate the coefficient K value measured using the method of internal heating without using a specialized isothermal enclosure. This is achieved by adding an expanded uncertainty on the measurement of coefficient K in its final value. The method was tested from 2016–2018 in the control process of the heat engineering parameters of the “thermos” cars. The results confirmed that all significant components of measurement uncertainties are considered in calculating the final value of coefficient K.

Application of the proposed technique ensures safeguarding the quality and safety of transported goods during development of the PFC transportation conditions in the “thermos” mode connected with calculation of the cargo transportation time-limit.